This writer wasn’t a big fan of non-fiction until she read scientist and usability engineer Don Norman’s The Design of Everyday Things. It opened up a whole new world for her — and the perversity of bad design and its reluctance in communicating with a user haven’t evaded her notice since. Although the book draws our attention to humdrum objects of the physical world, the detailing on such articles, including their choice of type, had piqued us unawares. So, on noticing that the line-up of events at various ongoing and upcoming literary festivals in the country is laying stress on type in book design,  we were nudged to delve deeper. We realise that our most memorable book covers have always had something more than the illustrations — the style and appearance of the printed word. Apart from their stories, titles such as Aam Aantir Bhenpu, Hukkahua or Badshahi Angti stay fresh in our minds for Satyajit Ray’s arresting word-picture play.

A crisp summary

Adding to the significance of type in design, typographers from the publishing world tell us about the key elements of the craft. Saurabh Garge, design head, Westland Books, says that typography on any cover is an important driver to reflect the theme and genre of the book. “It is as important as the visuals on the cover. In a way, it’s a summary of the reflection of the text inside. Certain sales-based conventions define which font is the right choice for a particular genre. For instance, classic serif typefaces like Garamond, Bodoni and Goudy are usually chosen for non-fiction. They have a certain legacy and seriousness associated with the way the letters are constructed, which blends in well with the photograph of a person or an event,” he explains. Garge notes that romance, self-help and fiction use modern and minimal serif typefaces that bear a curly, handwritten style. “While the typeface should mirror the genre of the book, it should also hoist the image on the cover.”